If you need a study break…

Check out this extremely talented, extremely flexible 4 year old named Gabby.

wow…all you can say.

#109 Go to the ballet, opera and symphony at least once in your life

I mean, come on … is this too much to ask? A little culture never hurt anyone. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a male or female – you should frequent each of these types of performances at least once in your lifetime. Take your daughter, wife, boyfriend, best friend, grandparent, co-worker, someone on a first date (which would really impress the person), but one way or another… go experience the beauty in beautiful, classical dance and music. 

I guess it’s this time of year that makes me appreciate the ballet because I have always loved The Nutcracker. It has been a tradition with my mom and older sister to see Ballet Austin’s performance of this classic Christmas tale almost every year since we were young girls and dreamed of growing up to be a prima ballerina. 

Not to focus on Austin’s fine arts, but if you’re reading this and are an Austinite, please don’t take for granted how blessed we are to have a really premiere ballet company, local symphony and opera. Not every city can claim that and although we’re not one of the world’s top in these fields, we have amazingly talented performers all around us. 

If you are fortunate enough to travel to New York, San Francisco, Boston, Paris and other cities with internationally renown ballets, symphonies and orchestras, you should take advantage of that and dress up, put on your sophisticated and worldly hat and attend a performance. Even if it it doesn’t end up being your most favorite type of performance, you won’t regret the experience.

I’ll leave you with a clip from one of the greats – maybe the greatest opera singer ever – Luciano Pavarotti and his famous (and last ever) performance of “Nessum Dorma,” which you will all most likely recognize.

If that doesn’t move you and give you goosebumps, well then I don’t know what does…

#108 Just Dance

Watch it. Do it.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

more about “#104 Just Dance“, posted with vodpod

In case you didn’t enjoy my freestyle, check out my choreography! 

Video by Jeff Dieta, UT Spirit Program Coordinator. 

#107 Go to a Dive Bar

Yep, it used to be an old church! Courtesy: myspace.com/littlelonghornsaloon

When I say “dive bar”, I mean your hole-in-the-wall, only serves beer and the lead singer of the band is pushin’ 80 kind of bar! It’s always a good time to hit up the trendy places like 6th street, especially the West 6th area, but every now and then being able to go to a place where you can enjoy a beer and laugh at the fact that the bartender looks like your grandma is definitely a good time, too!

A couple of weekends ago, we decided to try Burnet Road where we visited Ginny’s Little Longhorn Saloon and Lala’s. First of all, Ginny’s is a small honky tonk bar at 5434 Burnet Road and was owned by a husband a wife team. Don Kalmbach passed away in September 2002, according to their website, leaving the little bar to be run by the witty Ginny herself.  There’s never a cover here and they have Domino Night on Mondays. You can hear all kinds of country/ southern rock artists at the saloon most nights starting around 9, except for Sundays where bands play from 4-8pm.

#106 Grow a garden

In an ideal world, I would be eating off a garden I’d be tending. Perhaps this would entail me to live far away from the city, in a ranch or townhouse that has enough land to grow different types of foods. Maybe I would have to live a country-side style of life where I would devote my entire day to nurturing nature. But my feet on the ground tell me that in reality I wouldn’t be able to live this way, I’m very much a city girl so I wish I could find a middle-ground.

My favorite seasoning: cilantro. Photo by Michael Lehet under Creative Commons License.

A garden with tomatoes, onions, celery, cilantro, parsley, cucumbers, beets, zucchini, and rice is all I ask for. With strawberries, apples, oranges and bananas, that can’t be too difficult right? Perhaps they might be a little too much, but these or any other fruits and vegetables would suffice, as long as I could in fact live off the fat of the land.

#105 Try to Two-Step

I cannot believe I haven’t done this one yet! This is probably one of my favorite things to do and will never say no if someone asks me to go. I am definitely not a pro or anything, but I just love to two-step, waltz, half-step; you name it, I’ll TRY it!

My roommate teaching an out-of-towner to Two-Step

This is one of those dances that I think every true Texan, or visitor to Texas, should try at least once to say that they did it. And you have to get the full effect of going to a honky tonk bar with lots of smoke and you must have a beer, I’d recommend Bud Light! (My beer of choice.)

I already did a blog about two-stepping for an earlier class project because I am just a big supporter! I know a lot of people do not know how, but it’s really pretty easy. Keep reading to watch a video I found a while back to help teach the basic two-step.

#104 Watch a Sunrise/Sunset

View of the sunset at a friend's ranch near Gatesville

You all know the sayings, “stop and smell the roses” and “enjoy the simple things in life.” Well, even though our blog has had many suggestions of adventurous and extreme activities, some of the most enjoyable and essential things in life are the simple things. When was the last time you just sat and watched the sunrise or sunset? If it’s been awhile, take advantage of the autumnal skies to soak in a beautiful sunrise (if you’re an early riser) or sunset.

Best places in and around Austin to watch the sunrise/sunset:

#103 Go to Yogurt Planet

Our frozen yogurt we ate tonight. Mine is the one on the right (cheesecake with strawberries.)

Frozen yogurt in the winter sounds crazy, but go to Yogurt Planet and realize it’s the furthest thing from crazy.  This place off of 45th and Lamar is a little piece of heaven on earth for yogurt lovers.  My roommate and I went there tonight and it was so good!

The whole concept of this place is pretty cool, literally.  You can fill your bowl with any combination of yogurt flavors you like.  Then, head on over to the topping bar where you can put the finishing touches on your frozen treat with everything from strawberries, blueberries and pineapples to brownies, heath and cookie dough.  When you finish making your yogurt creation, go set your bowl on the scale and pay up (by the ounce.)  But, don’t worry, it’s worth every penny.

#102 ❘ Practice Yoga ❘

Man and woman sustaining the tree pose. Photo by myyogaonline under Creative Commons License.

I’ve been meaning to go to yoga since the start of the semester. People commonly associate yoga with relaxation, but yoga is much more powerful than that. It helps your mind, body and spirit unite in many ways. Controlled breathing, meditation, elasticity, better circulation, a detachment from your troubles are all benefits that you achieve.

The word yoga can’t be translated into one word. It comes from India, and like its benefits, the word has many meanings: “to unite,” “to control, “to join”.

Yoga is about balancing opposite energies inside yourself. Let’s say there’s a yin and a yang force in your body, and each is pulling into different directions without a focus. Yoga channels these forces, focuses them, directs them to return to our natural balance that is often interrupted by the fast-paced jittery lives we lead.

Free yoga class at Ruta Maya. Image taken off Ruta Maya's website.

Ruta Maya offers classes there for free as long as you make a purchase (a bottle of water, an apple, whatever). I had never practiced yoga like I practiced it there. The setting is extraordinary. Tables and chairs are pushed to the sides so yogis and yoginis can accommodate themselves in the middle of the shop. During the practice they hear coffee machines whirring, beans blending, glasses tinkling and people carrying on conversations. This, my friends, is the real yoga challenge. Placed in such a setting you’re really forced to zone out the sounds of your surroundings to be in the moment. Studios don’t offer that. They’re designed to foster a quiet atmosphere with incense and Indian chants. But when you’re placed in an urban setting with all the noises of daily life you can really see how a yoga practice can be beneficial.

There are other places in Austin to practice yoga, like Bodhi Yoga, Yoga Yoga, Dharma Yoga, and the UT RecSports Center offers classes as well.

#101 Visit the Zilker Christmas Tree & Trail of Lights

 

Zilker Park Christmas Tree, Austin, Texas

 

Nothing kicks off the holiday season like spinning underneath the Zilker Park Christmas Tree until you feel nauseated and fall over, and drinking a cup of hot chocolate before strolling through the Trail of Lights.

If you’re not an Austinite, you might not know what I’m talking about, but this Christmas display and celebration is well-known beyond the Austin city limits – it’s worth making a trip to the capitol city to check it out.

If you are an Austinite and haven’t ever enjoyed this holiday experience, you’re in luck because the lighting of the tree is Sunday, Dec. 7th and the Trail of Lights opens the following Sunday.

This beauty (pun intended) of this Austin site is what an easy, fun, cheap and all ages friendly environment it is. This seasonal display only comes around once a year, so don’t let it get away from you this holiday. 

Hope for cold weather and head down to Austin’s beautiful Zilker Park with friends, family, children or make it a romantic rendezvous with your significant other.